Early Childhood Referral Guide: Quick referral support for providers

Washington State Health Care Authority sent this bulletin at 05/04/2026 08:00 AM PDT

May 4, 2026

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Early Childhood Referral Guide: Quick referral support for providers

Health Care Authority (HCA) is sharing a new resource to support frontline providers: the Early Childhood Referral Guide.

This quick reference tool helps providers identify potential referral partners related to a child’s functioning and well-being. The table includes examples of multidisciplinary partners; while it is not a comprehensive list, this tool offers several options of provider types that may be available in your community. Providers should discuss family preferences and gain consent prior to referring to additional services and providers.

This tool is not intended to take the place of a comprehensive assessment.

What the referral guide includes

Examples of indicators for common early childhood concerns
Referral partners when there are:
- physical or medical concerns
- developmental concerns
- sleep and feeding concerns
- behavioral, emotional, and relational concerns
- responses to stressful or traumatic experiences
Guidance for deciding when to refer to IECMH treatment or IECMH consultation (especially when concerns occur primarily in early learning or school settings)

Important note

If issues continue to persist with support, it may be worth referring to Infant-Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) services to explore underlying mental health contributors.

If a caregiver needs help identifying available providers and agencies, contact Help Me Grow or Washington Mental Health Referral Service for Children and Teens.

Download the Early Childhood Referral Guide

View the IECMH tools hub

About the Health Care Authority (HCA)

Functioning as both the state's largest health care purchaser and its behavioral health authority, the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) is a leader in ensuring Washington residents have the opportunity to be as healthy as possible.

There are three pillars of our work: Apple Health (Medicaid); the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) and School Employees Benefits Board (SEBB) programs; and behavioral health and recovery. Under these pillars, HCA purchases health care, including behavioral health treatment for more than 2.7 million Washington residents and provides behavioral health prevention, crisis, and recovery supports to all Washington residents.

Please do not reply directly to this message. For more information, visit the HCA website, where you'll also find contact information.

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Nondiscrimination

The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) complies with all applicable federal and Washington state civil rights laws and is committed to providing equal access to our services. Visit HCA’s website to view complete nondiscrimination statements.